Rayan Cherki’s inventiveness, Erling Haaland’s redemption script Manchester City’s seismic win over Arsenal
When the whistle blew at the Etihad, the emotions of the managers were so spent that they could emote no more. The victorious Pep Guardiola, after a fleeting hug and a whisper in his defeated rival Mikel Arteta’s ears, rushed to greet his troops with a warm smile. Arteta, hiding his grief inside a defiant face, staggered back into the tunnel. Emotions had run them ragged. Guardiola had leapt, sunk to the touchline turf and copped a yellow card for his revolting, the old rebellious spirit seizing him. Arteta slumped and performed half a roll on the ground in the angst of Kai Havertz stoppage-time header speeding over the crossbar, Arsenal’s golden chance to draw level in the game that ended 2-1, preened and pirouetted. His men would leave Etihad top of the table, but with a crushing numbness. Arsenal had offered everything they could, defended stoutly as the meanest backline in the league is meant to do, attacked vigorously and showed more creative energy than they had in the previous weeks. But they know …
